Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Norway's ark: underground vault to house world's seeds"An underground vault buried deep in a mountain on a barren Arctic island halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole may seem like an unlikely place to store samples of the world's plant life.

But for scientists trying to shield the world's seeds from climate change, earthquakes, war and other disasters, the "doomsday vault" on the island of Svalbard is an ideal location."-more

According to National Geographic:

"The Norwegian island of Spitsbergen was chosen as the location for the seed vault because it is a remote region with low tectonic activity and a cold Arctic environment that is ideal for preservation.

Although there will be no staff members on site, the facility will be monitored around the clock.

In addition, 'the presence of polar bears, which prowl the area, may be seen by some as providing an added layer of security,' the Global Crop Diversity Trust writes on its Web site." -more